Family Safety Victoria is currently consulting on the design of a new program to target and evaluate intensive interventions for high-risk and high-harm perpetrators of family violence (‘the serious-risk program’), including strengthened family safety advocacy.
Family Safety Victoria is keen to engage with government and community services sector stakeholders (including front-line staff and practitioners who work with adults who use family violence and victim survivors) to ensure they get the design of this important program right for all participants of this program.
Family Safety Victoria is holding some virtual workshops to discuss key elements of the model in more detail. I encourage you to attend any of the following workshops, please register your interest by Monday 17 October 2022:
*Consultation sessions commence 19 October 2022
| Date and time | Virtual workshop | Description | |
| Wednesday 19 October 2022, 11am-12pm | Serious-risk program information session 1: overview | A one-hour information session on the proposed service model outlined in the discussion paper. There will be opportunity to ask questions about the discussion paper and consultation process. | |
| Thursday 20 October 2022, 11am-12pm | Serious-risk program information session 2: overview | A one-hour information session on the proposed service model. A one-hour information session on the proposed service model outlined in the discussion paper. There will be opportunity to ask questions about the discussion paper and consultation process. (This is a repeat of session 1 on Wednesday. You do not need to attend both) | |
| Tuesday 25 October 2022, 10am-12pm | Serious-risk program workshop 1: Collaboration across systems* | A two-hour workshop focused on cross-system collaboration required to deliver this model effectively. This includes exploring opportunities for proactive engagement and outreach, collaborative intake and assessment, and MARAM coordination. | |
| Wednesday 26 October 2022, 10am-12pm | Serious-risk program workshop 2: Enhanced family safety advocacy* | A two-hour workshop focused on enhanced family safety advocacy, including ensuring it meets the needs of children and young people as victim survivors in their own right. It will also include a discussion on workforce capabilities and considerations. | |
| Thursday 3 November 2022, 1pm-3pm | Serious-risk program workshop 3: Response to adult using family violence* | A two-hour workshop focused on the response to adult using family violence. This includes exploring the case management and responsive behaviour change intervention components of the model. It will also include a discussion on workforce capabilities and considerations. |
*Note, there are limited spaces in these workshops to facilitate discussion and collaboration. We may hold extra workshops if we receive significant interest.
- Written feedback on the discussion paper is also welcome by COB Friday 4 November 2022. Please send any feedback to [email protected].
Attachments
- A discussion paper and overview presentation that outlines emerging thinking on the target population and proposed service model, based on research and targeted consultation to date (attached to this email).
Background
- The Victorian Government has provided $3.234 million for a two-year (2023 and 2024) program to target and evaluate intensive interventions for high-risk and high-harm perpetrators (‘the serious-risk program’), including strengthened family safety advocacy.
- The serious-risk program seeks to keep victim survivors safe by joining up responses across the service system to keep serious-risk adults using family violence in view, disrupt their use of violence, change their behaviour, and lead them to accountability.
- Funding has been provided to deliver the serious-risk program in four areas across Victoria (covering regional and metropolitan areas, including one site intended to be led by an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation).
- An evaluation of the effectiveness of the two-year program will be undertaken.
Further information